Vatican may censure Indian Jesuit for unorthodox beliefs

Published: 14 May 2014

The Vatican is investigating a Jesuit theologian from India for allegedly espousing unorthodox beliefs, reports the Religion News Service on Ucanews.

News of the threatened censure of the Rev Michael Amaladoss, whose best-known book is The Asian Jesus, follows on the heels of a blunt warning from the Vatican's doctrinal watchdog, Cardinal Gerhard Muller, delivered to a group of nuns who represent most American sisters.

Church sources say that Amaladoss, a highly regarded expert on interreligious dialogue and Christology, first came under scrutiny by Muller's office a year ago. They said Amaladoss believed that his initial responses to questions about his views on the uniqueness of Jesus and the Catholic Church had answered Vatican objections.

But in January, Cardinal Muller’s office returned with a demand that Amaladoss write an article publicly endorsing the Vatican's views or face silencing.

In early April, Amaladoss met with Cardinal Muller and other officials from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and he 'agreed to rework … those issues in the light of the dialogue,' the Rev Edward Mudavassery, who oversees the Jesuits in India, wrote in an email.